Vertex Summer 2025 Intern, Protein Engineering (Seattle, WA)

Job Description

The Vertex Internship Program offers students the opportunity to learn about the pharmaceutical industry from a hands-on perspective. You will be working closely with and learning from some of the brightest people in the industry. When you join our internship program you should not be surprised to see that our environment is one that is innovative and team oriented, where collaboration is not just a word, and "we are relentless" is in everything we do. Students can expect to be challenged by their project plan, connect with other interns, and feel valued by the Vertex community. Not only will interns learn about their day-to-day tasks through their specific work assignments, but they will interact and have exposure to our organizational leaders and their teams.

Job Summary:

The Protein Engineering group utilizes directed evolution display technologies to identify novel therapeutic proteins to modulate immune response.  The successful candidate will apply molecular biology techniques to build and screen large protein libraries. In addition, they will become familiar with insilico protein modelling and design applications.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical skills that will be acquired include:

• Basic molecular biology competency including primer design, PCR, Gibson assembly, and sequence analysis
• Recombinant protein expression via transient transfection and purification
• Viral vector design and production
• Immunoassays- ELISA, reporter cell lines, primary immune cell coculture
• Database entry and protein request queue tracking
• Lab operations support

Though a specific project has yet to be crystallized, the intern will work on their own project focused on technology development while also shadowing the supervisor and contributing to multiple therapeutic discovery stage Vertex projects.  These discovery stage projects will involve participation on multidisciplinary project teams composed of immunologists, biochemists and structural biologists.

The candidate will interact closely with several members of our teams such as specialists in stem cells differentiation, screening, genetic integrity and epigenetics. 

Qualifications:

• A passion for discovery in immunology
• At least two years’ university-level coursework in a bioscience related discipline
• Research laboratory experience strongly preferred
• Excellent communication skills, including the capacity to clearly present and explain results
• Motivation to perform precision bench work
• Aptitude to learn quickly
• Energy and flexibly to collaborate with a busy team in a rapidly evolving company
• An eagerness to contribute to Vertex’s science
• Computer Savy, technical and scientific mindset, and detail oriented, manages job with care and responsibly.
• Permanent legal authorization to work in the United States
• Candidate must be enrolled in an advanced degree program if graduating before May 2025​
• Candidate must be available to work full-time, 40 hours per week from May - August 2025

Pay Range 20.00 – 27.00 USD/hour

This job posting is for a temporary role with a third-party agency partner that provides services to Vertex.  The individual selected for this role will be offered the role as an employee of that third-party agency; compensation, medical benefits, fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment shall be presented by the third-party agency upon offer. The range provided is a reasonable estimate for the pay range for this job at the time of posting. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. The actual pay rate will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com